1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a full ice level sensing apparatus and method for a refrigerator, and more particularly to a full ice level sensing apparatus and method in which a full ice level of ice cubes in an ice bank is sensed by means of the upward and downward movements of an elevating member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, refrigerators maintain a freezing chamber or a refrigerating chamber at a low temperature using a refrigerating cycle device, which comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit and an evaporator, by means of a refrigerant.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional refrigerator, in which a freezing chamber door and a refrigerating chamber door are opened.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional refrigerator comprises a barrier 1 for dividing the inside of the refrigerator into a freezing chamber (F) and a refrigerating chamber (R), a main body 2 provided with a refrigerating cycle device for cooling the freezing chamber (F) and the refrigerating chamber (R) at a low temperature, a freezing chamber door 4 rotatably connected to the main body 2 for opening and closing the freezing chamber (F), and a refrigerating chamber door 6 rotatably connected to the main body 2 for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber (R).
The refrigerating cycle device includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant in a low-temperature and low-pressure state to a high-temperature and high-pressure state, a condenser for condensing the refrigerant in the high-pressure state compressed by the compressor by emitting heat to outdoor air, an expansion unit for decompressing the refrigerant condensed by the condenser, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant expanded by the expansion unit by absorbing heat from the freezing chamber (F) or the refrigerating chamber (R).
Recently, an automatic ice-making device for making ice by means of cool air in the freezing chamber (F) and then for exhausting the ice is installed in the refrigerator.
The automatic ice-making device includes an ice-maker 8 installed at an upper portion of the inside of the freezing chamber (F) for freezing water supplied thereto by means of cool air in the freezing chamber (F), an ice bank 9 installed in the freezing chamber (F) for containing ice cubes made by the ice-maker 8, a dispenser 10 installed at the freezing chamber door 4 for exhausting the ice cubes without opening the freezing chamber door 4, and an ice chute 11 for guiding the ice cubes contained in the ice bank 9 to drop down to the dispenser 10.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the ice-maker and the ice bank for the conventional refrigerator. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a controller of the ice-maker for the conventional refrigerator.
The ice-maker 8 includes an ice-maker mold 12 for containing water to be frozen and freezing the water into ice cubes having a designated shape, a water supply unit 13 for supplying the water into the ice-maker mold 12, a slider 14 for guiding the ice cubes into the ice bank 9, and a heater for separating the ice cubes from the ice-maker mold 12.
Here, the ice-maker mold 12 is connected to the freezing chamber of the refrigerator by a connection unit 12a. 
The ice-maker 8 further includes an ice-making controller 16, and an ejector 17 axially connected to a motor of the ice-making controller 16 for exhausting the ice cubes made by the ice-maker mold 12 to the ice bank 10.
The ice-maker mold 12 has an approximately semi-cylindrical shape, and includes a plurality of partition plates 12a spaced from each other by designated intervals for allowing the plural ice cubes to be divisionally made.
Further, the ejector 17 includes a shaft 17a traversing the ice-maker mold 12, and a plurality of ejector pins 17b installed at the side wall of the shaft 17a. 
Here, each of the ejector pins 17b is positioned between the partition plates 12b of the ice-maker mold 12.
The ejector pins 17a serve as means for exhausting the made ice cubes to the ice bank 10.
The ice cubes transferred by the ejector pins 17a are put on the slider 14, and are then dropped to the ice bank 9 along the surface of the slider 14.
Further, the heater is attached to the bottom of the ice-maker mold 12, and serves to increase the temperature of the ice-maker mold 12 so as to separate the ice cubes from the ice-maker mold 12 by melting the ice cubes at portions thereof adhered to the surface of the ice-maker mold 12. The ejector 17 transfers the separated ice cubes.
Before the ice cubes are separated from the ice-maker mold 12, a sensing lever 18 determines whether or not the ice bank 10 positioned below the ice-maker mold 12 is fully filled with the ice cubes (hereinafter, referred to as “at a full ice level”).
Here, the sensing lever 18 is designed such that both ends of the sensing lever 18 are rotatably attached to both sides of the ice-maker 8 and the sensing lever 18 is outwardly bent at designated portions.
The ice-making controller 16 includes a control panel 21, a magnet 22 rotated by the rotation of the sensing lever 18, a hall sensor 23 for sensing a magnetic field generated from the magnet 22 when the rotation of the sensing lever 18 is limited by the amount of the ice cubes at the full ice level, a motor 24 for generating a driving force for rotating the sensing lever 18 and the ejector 17, a driving gear 25 axially connected to a shaft of the motor 24, a driven gear 26 interdigitated with the driving gear 25 and provided with a rotary shaft 26a connected to the shaft 17a of the ejector 17, a cam 27 protruded from the rotary shaft 26a of the driven gear 26, and an arm lever 28 geared with the cam 27 for rotating the sensing lever 18.
Here, the magnet 22 is installed at an extension portion 18a of the sensing lever 18.
The rotary frequency of the cam 27 is transmitted to the arm lever 28 for vertically moving the sensing lever 18.
The hall sensor 23 is installed on the control panel 21, and is positioned such that the variation in the magnetic field generated by the movement of the magnet 22 is sensed by the hall sensor 23.
That is, the hall sensor 23 senses the magnetic field through the variation in the rotary position of the magnet 22 generated by the rotation of the sensing lever 18, thereby determining whether or not the ice bank 9 is at the full ice level.
Since the sensing lever 18 of the above-described full ice level sensing apparatus is outwardly bent at designated portions and is rotated so as to sense the full ice level, the sensing level 18 requires a large area for operation, thereby reducing an effective volume of the freezing chamber (F).